Butanol represents an alternative to gasoline as a transportation fuel with certain advantages over ethanol. For example, butanol can be blended into gasoline at higher concentrations (16%) than ethanol, which can provide more renewable content in every gallon. Butanol can be used in existing vehicles and infrastructure (e.g., a drop-in fuel). Butanol does not mix with water as does ethanol, meaning it can be transported via existing infrastructure. Butanol has a low vapor pressure, so there will be lower evaporative losses associated with butanol compared to ethanol.
In addition, 1-butanol can be used as an entry level chemical in the synthetic commodity chemical industry. Butanol can be used in the chemical industry for different purposes, such as the manufacture of butyl acrylate, butyl acetate, glycols, plasticizers and solvents. Butanol can be used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, polymers, pyroxylin plastics, herbicide esters, and butyl xanthate. Butanol can also be used as a solvent for the extraction of essential oils or as an ingredient in perfumes; as an extractant in the manufacture of antibiotics, hormones, and vitamins; as a solvent for paints, coatings, natural resins, gums, synthetic resins, alkaloids, and camphor. Other applications of butanol include, for example, as a swelling agent in textiles; as a component of brake fluids, cleaning formulations, degreasers, and repellents; and as a component of ore floatation agents and of wood-treating systems.
Production of multi-carbon alcohols, such as butanol, using most conventional processes has been limited by economic and environmental constrains. The compositions and methods disclosed herein address these and other needs.